Using Ginger bug for other soda ferments

[beetoferment]

I am experimenting with soda making and don't have ale yeast which the recipe calls for, so I thought I could use the "ginger bug". What are your thoughts? Anyone else try this?

Thanks!!
Bea

[Christopher Weeks]

Yes. That will absolutely work. Commercial, healthy ale yeast causes *much* faster fermentation though, so if you use a ginger bug and it's only supposed to take two days, don't be discouraged if it takes seven or whatever.

[beetoferment]

Awesome, Christopher!! I was hoping that would be the answer, so I had started a cherry fizz soda. It has been 4 days and nothing, so I will give it a long while as you suggest!! :)

Bea

[Christopher Weeks]

I'd expect to see bubbles at four days. Was the ginger bug frothy when you added it to the soda body? Was the soda body fully cooled?

[parkranger]

i've had great experimental results using my ginger bug for other fruity/gingery sodas. i also like to use a lot more lemon than sandor's recipe calls for, and substitute some honey for the sugar. last week i happened across 4 pounds of strawberries and a bag of lemons, so i mashed up most of the berries in a gallon jug (cutting out the green and hard white bits, plus any brown spots), juiced about six of the lemons, added 1/4 c. of clover honey, and then topped it up with a quart of water that i'd boiled a few inches of ginger and 3/4 c. of white sugar in. once that cooled, i added in a few cups of my ginger bug and let it sit over night.

i bottled it all (mostly in mason jars and old gt kombucha bottles), and they VERY QUICKLY became fizzy. within a day, if we didn't very carefully let air escape while holding it outside, they would burst sending strawberry chunks everywhere. not exactly ideal for drinking in the car on the way to the coast, but it was so crisp and delicious, and everyone liked the strawberry pulp. i think it would work better served from a punch bowl, though, and i plan to make a similar drink as soon as our blackberries start fruiting.

[beetoferment]

Hi Christopher,

I don't think my ginger bug was frothy enough. I remember it took a few more days. But, it turned out great! I have tried a lemon-lime drink that was good too. I realized if I let the ginger bug go for almost a week, it is good and frothy and does a better job. After reading parkranger's post I am going to try some fruit next. These are great soda alternatives.
Bea

I wonder, if using a package of kool-aid as the flavor will work. Have you tried anything like this? I did read in Sandor's book that a friend made kombucha with Mountain dew. I don't know as I'll do that, but the kool-aid....